Conversion mechanism of thermal plasma-enhanced CH 4 -CO 2 reforming system to syngas under the non-catalytic conditions

Thermal plasma activation of CH -CO reforming (CRM) to syngas under non-catalytic conditions is an efficient and clean technology for the large-scale utilization of hydrocarbon resources and the conversion of greenhouse gases. This study investigates the equilibrium state and transformation mechanism of a CRM reaction system activated by thermal plasma through experimental, thermodynamic, and kinetic analyses. The experimental results illustrated that the CO conversion rate and H selectivity showed a downward trend with an increase in the CO /CH molar ratio, whereas the CH conversion rate and CO selectivity showed the opposite trend. When CO /CH molar ratio was 6/4, the selectivity for CO and H increased to 87.0 % and 80.8 %, respectively. Excess CO promotes the partial oxidation of CH to eliminate carbon deposition, resulting in an H /CO molar ratio value closer to 1. Thermodynamic results show that the thermal-plasma-initiated CRM reaction can reach thermodynamic equilibrium more easily than the conventional catalyzed reactions, achieving much higher feedstock gas conversion without carbon deposition. The kinetic results obtained from the PSR model revealed that CH and CO were cleaved to form free radicals at the instant of contact with the plasma flame. O, H, and other particles generated in the form of free radicals rapidly collided with each other and transformed into CO and H , accelerating the reaction process. The results presented in this study will help reveal the transformation mechanism of the CRM reaction activated by thermal plasma under non-catalytic conditions and provide a new perspective for studying CRM reactions.